So I just discovered the difference between my GPA and my LSAC gpa and I think im in big trouble...is there anything I can do here?

My current gpa is a 3.3, but I retook 4 classes that I failed earlier (which, to my understanding will be counted both as F's and as well as the subsequent A's that I recieved retaking them)

however, I also failed a large number of classes at a previous university that I did not repeat because I left and transferred. I am looking at >10 F's on my LSAC gpa if I am understanding this correctly.

FWIW, my first university was a large public top 100 school, and I am currently in a top 100 private university. I have been preping for the June LSAT averaging 166, but will that even matter? I thought I'd be able to get into a T2 chicago school easy (depaul, loyola, kent), but with this lsac gpa is that now out of the question? What are my options?

yeah it sucks, but this is what a bunch of people go through every year. LSAC counts everything and the LSDAS GPA is the one that matters. All you can do is study your ass off and get an LSAT score that will cancel out that GPA

Kilpatrick wrote:yeah it sucks, but this is what a bunch of people go through every year. LSAC counts everything and the LSDAS GPA is the one that matters. All you can do is study your ass off and get an LSAT score that will cancel out that GPA

This. How bad is the LSAC GPA? Assuming it's not completely awful, with a high enough LSAT score, you should still be able to get at least one of DePaul/Loyola/Kent.

My LSAC GPA ended up being below 2.5. As calculated by my UG it is 3.74.

I got a 170+ LSAT, and I was accepted in several T2 and T3s, and WL at several T1s. Still waiting to hear from a couple others.

BTW, Depaul and UIUC both waitlisted me. I withdrew from Kent because they were taking too fucking long and I am in at better options.

I think if you have a strong trend, write a good addendum, and kill the LSAT you can do alright. I have 3 years of a close to 4.0 GPA, so I think that helps my case a bit, as well as some interestingish softs.

Kilpatrick wrote:yeah it sucks, but this is what a bunch of people go through every year. LSAC counts everything and the LSDAS GPA is the one that matters. All you can do is study your ass off and get an LSAT score that will cancel out that GPA

This. How bad is the LSAC GPA? Assuming it's not completely awful, with a high enough LSAT score, you should still be able to get at least one of DePaul/Loyola/Kent.

I agree that one of them will take you with a high enough LSAT. If you can land a job after UG for a couple of years and score over a 170, even Northwestern may look past your GPA. They let in a few people this year with ~3.0/170+ and work experience.

You also sound like you may be a prime candidate to pen a GPA addendum.

My LSAC GPA ended up being below 2.5. As calculated by my UG it is 3.74.

I got a 170+ LSAT, and I was accepted in several T2 and T3s, and WL at several T1s. Still waiting to hear from a couple others.

BTW, Depaul and UIUC both waitlisted me. I withdrew from Kent because they were taking too fucking long and I am in at better options.

I think if you have a strong trend, write a good addendum, and kill the LSAT you can do alright. I have 3 years of a close to 4.0 GPA, so I think that helps my case a bit, as well as some interestingish softs.

Yikes, what a bummer. My LSAC GPA is lower than my actual GPA, but nothing like this. Ouch.

I got into Wisconsin and several other in that range with a 166 and a similar situation. I think it all depends on how you explain your GPA. I also got dinged at a lot of schools that were much worse, and I can only guess my academic history is the reason.

danget bobby wrote:Assuming I have calculated my lsac gpa correctly, I currently have a 2.23 (fml). After this semester it will jump to a 2.45.

Thanks for the replies

Ummm.. you could keep taking classes before you earn your first degree and hope it keeps going up? But that might not be worth it.

I still have two more semesters of classes on top of my current one to bring it up.

This brings up another question: do I apply now (this summer) without my fall 2010 and spring 2011 grades, or would it be worth the increase to wait till next summer to apply? If I wait Ill have an entire year before I start law school tho. Also if I apply now and get rejected at schools, will that influence my reapplication next year?

EDIT: the highest my gpa could climb by the time I graduate would be a 2.708. Is that .25ish a large enough difference?

danget bobby wrote:Assuming I have calculated my lsac gpa correctly, I currently have a 2.23 (fml). After this semester it will jump to a 2.45.

Thanks for the replies

Ummm.. you could keep taking classes before you earn your first degree and hope it keeps going up? But that might not be worth it.

I still have two more semesters of classes on top of my current one to bring it up.

This brings up another question: do I apply now (this summer) without my fall 2010 and spring 2011 grades, or would it be worth the increase to wait till next summer to apply? If I wait Ill have an entire year before I start law school tho. Also if I apply now and get rejected at schools, will that influence my reapplication next year?

i'd apply as late as possible to show upward trend and a few solid last semesters in school. It will make writing your GPA addendum easier as well, which is going to be a key part of your application. And I don't think you could apply that early anyways, most schools won't accept applications more than a year out.

I think taking a year off might be a good idea in your situation, as it lets you also add some work experience to distance yourself from the gpa.

danget bobby wrote:Assuming I have calculated my lsac gpa correctly, I currently have a 2.23 (fml). After this semester it will jump to a 2.45.

Thanks for the replies

You're pretty much hosed. It's crappy system, but there's nothing you can do :-/

People will tell you things like 'write an addendum', 'take more classes', and 'get work experience first'. But when you apply, your uGPA as calculated by the LSAT will still be the second biggest factor in your application after the LSAT, and having well below a 3.0 is going to make getting into a decent law school all but impossible.

For what it's worth, you might consider alternative options to law school at this point. If you don't realize that all of the addenda and work experience in the world will still likely mean less than beasting (170+++) the LSAT.